Former Lions draft pick Fred Matua dies at 28

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 5, 2012, 2:31 PM EDT

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Fred Matua, a 2006 seventh-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, has died at the age of 28.

Several of Matua’s former teammates posted messages on Twitter last week indicating that Matua had been hospitalized as a result of either a heart attack or an aneurysm. Although Matua needed emergency surgery, the news initially appeared to be positive, as some of his teammates wrote that they had heard he was going to pull through. The news came today that Matua had passed away.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who was Matua’s college coach at USC, confirmed on Twitter on Sunday that Matua had died.

So saddened to hear about Fred Matua passing away at age 28. Very tough news this morning. #FightOn

Wow.. i remember playing against him when he was a sophmore at Banning high in Ca…I was an all City Linebacker and he whooped my butt for an entire 48 min.. i used to always bring him up.. as the best Guard ive ever played against. Super Guy.. Rest in Peace kid.

I remember seeing him at Banning. He was big man on campus. The whole staff tracked him and tried to keep him on the straight and narrow-attending classes, staying out of trouble. I was a sub. in the detention room and the monitors and security would remind him if he slowed around to class after lunch or break. He had no father so they tried to substitute for dad, cajoling, motivating, pushing. They got him through to college and pros. Good man. Sorry to see him go to glory so soon. We needed him here for the next generation.